1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a motor vehicle convertible roof structure with a folding roof which is movably guided in guide rails in the area of the vehicle roof side members on each side of the vehicle roof.
2. Description of Related Art
Building side members and guide rails of a vehicle convertible roof structure of the type to which the present invention is directed in a sheet metal shell design is known. Based on the shape of the sheet metal shells and due to the compression direction, tool costs are high. Furthermore, executing the side members and guide rails by means of extruded sections which run parallel with outside visible surfaces or an outer skin is known, the guide functions for the folding roof being integrated into this structure. The outside configuration of the side members is thus dictated by the profile and bending contour and the optics are bound to the desired function. To achieve an optically perfect surface, accuracy of shape, and small guide tolerances, in this approach, an expensive and complex bending process is necessary.
In view of this prior art, the primary object of the present invention is to devise a vehicle convertible roof structure which, in the area of the side members and guide rails, can be economically produced and installed, and in addition, ensures the required high quality optics with respect to the outer skin and is suitable for detachable mounting.
This object is achieved by the side members having an extruded section on an inner side of which the respective guide rail is provided, on an outer side of which an outer skin panel section is provided and on a bottom side of which a door and/or window pane seal is provided.
In other words, the side member/guide rail structure of the vehicle convertible roof structure is based on an extruded section for the side member which accommodates the guide rail at its inner side, supports the outer skin panel section at its outer side, and on the bottom has a door and/or window pane seal. Accordingly, the side member is based on a single extruded section which is bent to follow the contour of the top edge of the door pane or the window pane after the extrusion process. This bending process represents a simple forming measure and can be carried out precisely.
Furthermore, it is advantageously provided that the extruded section has a support crosspiece which at least roughly follows the shape of the outer skin panel section and to which the outer skin panel section is spot joined. This measure of spot connection of the outer skin panel section to the extruded section, in contrast to the prior art which requires precise prefabrication, has the advantage that the outer skin panel section can be joined to the extruded section of the side member to balance tolerances. There is preferably either an elastic adhesive connection or an elastic clip connection which allows different thermal expansion between the material of the outer skin panel section and the material of the extruded section. Instead of a spot connection of these parts an elastic connection by means of, for example, adhesive beads is possible.
For simple installation capacity, the door and/or the window pane seal is slipped onto a shell-type crosspiece which projects from the bottom of the extruded section.
Since the extruded section typically has a curved shape, while the guide rail is naturally made elongated for the folding roof, these two components of the vehicle convertible roof structure under consideration are made separately from one another and are preferably screwed to one another. To be able to ensure the required precise alignment of the guide rail with reference to the extruded section using simple means, it is advantageously provided that the inner side of the extruded section has at least two bearing ribs for the guide rail which extend in the lengthwise direction and which are spaced transversely to it and at least one groove essentially parallel thereto for engagement of self-tapping screws which penetrate holes or slots in the guide rail or in a flange or crosspiece located on it.
The extruded section with its bonding sites for the guide rail and the outer skin panel section and the shell-type crosspiece for the door and/or window pane seal, preferably, comprises a core which is essentially triangular in cross section with an outer side which forms the support rest of the outer skin panel section, an inner side for binding of the guide rails, for example, by screwing, and the shell-type flange which projects downward to the outside for the door and/or window pane seal. Within the framework of this triangular core, on the inner crosspiece thereof, the inwardly projecting bearing ribs for the guide rail are preferably formed, while there is groove for engaging the self-tapping screws for fixing the guide rail on the extruded section in an inner corner area of the triangular core of the extruded section.
To ensure the necessary tightness on the bottom edge of the outer skin panel section, the door and/or window pane seal is advantageously provided, in addition, with a sealing section for sealing relative to the lower edge of the outer skin panel section.
In order to ensure the necessary tightness on the top of the convertible roof structure in the area of the side members, it is advantageously provided that the guide rail, on its top, bears a seal for sealing relative to the closed folding roof and the top edge of the outer skin panel section. This seal, like the door and/or window pane seal, can be placed on a shell-type crosspiece of the guide rail or into the slot of a retaining rail section.
The extruded section of the side members preferably are made of aluminum or plastic.
The side members of the vehicle convertible roof structure in accordance with the invention are also suitable, due to their compact and functional structure, for detachable connection to the vehicle body. In this case, the side members are sealed also on their two ends relative to the vehicle body and preferably bear these seals there themselves.
According to one especially advantageous development of the invention, the detachable side members are formed with a peripheral seal structure which integrally comprises both the seal on the ends of the side members and on the bottom of the extruded section and on the top of the guide rail. This measure facilitates installation of the sealing means and increases the sealing properties based on the integral execution of the individual functional sealing parts.
The invention is explained in detail below using the single figure.